Vehicle wheel



May 31, 1927.

J. H. WAGENHORST VEHICLE WHEEL' Filed Aug. 19. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet Y*Patented May 31, 1927.

JAMES'H. 'WAGENHORST, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application med August 1a, 1921. serial No. 493,508.

This invention relates' generally to demountable Wheels and moreparticularly to the hub structure of said Wheels whereby the t mountingand demounting of the wheel body is quickly and easily accomplished.Another object of the invention is to provide -a novel construction ofsheet metal hub which is both simple and economical and at the same timestrong and durable.

A still further object is to provide a wheel structure of thedemountable type in which the parts are securely connected at the centerso that a firm mounting of the wheel body can be had upon the hubstructure.

A-further object of my invention 'is to provide simple and effectivemeans for holding a full j complement of wooden spokes properlyassembled when removed from the hub, so as to permit the. demounting ofthe wheel body from the hub and its subsequent mounting thereon.

With these various objects in View the invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction hereinafter fully described and set forth inthe appended claims. .In the drawings forming a part of thisspecification Fig. l' is a sectional view of a sheet metalhub with ademountable .wheel body applied thereto, this view showing the front huband wheel; Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the rear hub and wheel; Fig.3 is a sectional plan view of the nut G; Fig. 4 is a view showing aslight modification of the front wheel structure and a forced or 'moldedhub; and Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the rear hub and wheelstructure.

Referring to Fig. 1,'A indicates the sheet vmetal barrel or shell of thefront'hub, being may contact.

expanded or enlarged as shown at A at the inner end and threadedvexternally at the outer end as indicated at A2 to receive a hub capthereon. This shell is pressed inwardly as indicated at A3 to provide aninterior shoulder against which the bearino` parts The barrel or shellhas a rear hub flange B rigidlyconnected thereto, this flange being ofsheet metal and having an outwardly projecting portion B which ispressed inwardly as shown at B2 to fit into a corresponding depressionA4 produced in the barrel or sleeve of the hub. In practice I prefer toslightly contract the barrel or sleeve as shown and have the outwardlyproecting portion B of the hub flange fit snugly thereinto and by meansof the depression B2 fitting into the corresponding depression A4 the hub ange and barrel are rigidly connected, one to the other; and theproper bearing surface for the Wheel body is provided. The spokes C aremitered at their inner ends in the usual manner and are provided attheir extreme inner ends with a sheet metal band D which is turned intofirm contact with the ends of the spokes which are tapered inwardly asshown, and the extreme outer edge of this band D is rolled over the edgeof the outer hub Hange E as most clearly shown at D', thus firmly'connecting the inner ends of the spokes and the outer hub flangetogether. When the Wheel is mounted upon the hub, the 'metal band D isbrought into intimate contact with the hub fiange B and itsoutvvardlyprojecting portion B and it will be noted that the inclined band Dengages the beveled face B3 of the outwardly projecting portion of thehub flange. It will also be noted that the metal band D con-l tacts withand rides upon the barrel or shell of the hub at the pointDt, therebygiving the wheel body a firm contact with the hub structure and placingthe metal parts in contact with each other and maintaining the spokeends firmly locked together.

Flange bolts F are passed through the outer hub flange E. and throughthe spokes, and their threaded ends F engage the nuts G which are Xedlyconnected to the inner hub flange B; or they may be made an integralpart of said flange if desired as shown in Fig. 4. The heads of theflange bolts are made tapering or conical as shown at F 2 and the outerhub fiange is provided with counterbored openings E2 to receive the sameso that when the flange bolts are securely tightened the conical head F2 will engage the corresponding seat in the outer hub flange andAsecurely lock all of the parts together.

In Fig. 2, I have shown the barrel or shell i of the hub A5 formed withtheintegral hub flange A and the'brake drum Afan integral part of saidflange. The spokes C have the sheet metal band D applied to the innerends thereof in the manner previously described, and the outer hubflange E is also connected in the same manner, and'flange bolts -F areemployed engaging-nuts Gr which are fixedly connected to the flange A6;or if desired,"

may bean integral part thereof, as shown in Fig. 4:. The barrel or shellis provided with the forged or cast skein portion I and this is rigidlysecured in place by depressing the barrel or shell at points A8 andpressing the same-into corresponding depressions I8 in the skein. Themetallic band D lits snugly .upon the tapered portion of the bar# rel orshell and flange and when properly arranged upon the hub and the boltsapplied and secured, brings the said band into firm and locked relationwith the hub structure.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I'have shown cast or forged metal hubs, the interiorsof which arc of standard construction. Upon the exterior they areprovided with an integral inner hub flange M and they are alsol formedwith spaced exterior bearing surfaces N and O, which in the presentinstance are shown tapered or inclined. The spokes C have their innerends connected by means of a sheet metal band D5 havingl one portion D6for contact with the surface N and the other portion DT for contact withthe surface O and th'e extreme outer .end D is turned back to engage theedge of the outer hub fiange E as previously described: The hub bolts F,such ask already described, are employed in con4 nectiony 'with nutsGwhich are rigidly connected to the rear hub flangeand are preferablyintegral therewith. A brake drum P is also rigidl connected to the hubflange M and the nut may serve the double purpose of connectingthelbrake drum to the h'ub flange and also .providing the nut for theflange bolt F. By the employment of the metal bands D connectedasdescribed to the inner ends of thespokes, positive accurate contactsof metal against metal can be obtained and by means of the flange boltsthe contacting surfaces can be 4drawn into firm lcontact with each otherand itwill also be noted that `or'ily-.a'slight change in theconstruction of the' inner end ofthe spoke is necessa ,that is, .theextreme. inner edge thereof eing rounded off as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.By having'the metallicl bandsv D- embrace the outer hub flange in themanner indicated a rigid wheel structure is provided 'at the center andat the same time a broad bearing' is provided between the wheel ture andthe hub structure. It will thus be seen that I provide a novel struclvsignature construction of demountable wheel and hub i A structureusable*l vin connection therewith, which hub structurecanbe of pressedSheet kmetal or forged or cast, as preferred.A

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: j

1. Infa' wheel the combination of an inner hub having an external bealinsurface and al radially extending flange at t ey rear thereof, a set ofspokes, a sheet metal liner sleevev rear flangeand an inclined externalbearing surface adapted to support a wheel body, lof a set of spokeshaving sloping inner ends, a front hub flange engaging the spokes, meansfor connecting said spokes and front flange to d to confornr' totheinner ends ofsaid'fspo es and to the the hub, and a liner sleeve shaexternal bearing surface' ofthe hub, said liner sleeve having its frontedge flanged outwardly against the front' flange tomain- 'tain thef'saidliange and spokes in assembled relation independently of the hub and connecting means.

3. lThe combination withahubhavingiagj rear flanfre and a removable"front flange, said hub having spaced tapered bearing'sur..

faces of different diameters, a wheel body comprising a complement ofspokes and a liner sleeve inserted in.- the central opening of saidwheel body and conforming to the inner ends of said spokes, said sleevebeing `flanged outwardlyin front of the front hu flange, and boltsextending through said front flange and spokes and connectingsaid wheelbody to the hub. In testimony whereof, hereunto affix my JAMESHWAGENHORST.

